'She tried to rescue her family'

Javed (17) and Sirajuddin (15) were bewildered to see people gathered outside their house when they returned from school on Saturday afternoon. Little did they know that their father, sister and aunt were charred to death half-an-hour after they left for their school in the morning. Rajat Arora reports.

Javed (17) and Sirajuddin (15) were bewildered to see people gathered outside their house when they returned from school on Saturday afternoon. Little did they know that their father, sister and aunt were charred to death half-an-hour after they left for their school in the morning.

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However, their six-year-old sister, Nizba, was not that lucky because she returned early from school that day as she wasn't feeling well.

"They still can't believe that their father, sister and aunt are no more. I don't know how they'll bear this pain," said Shahbuddin's brother Allaudin.

Their mother, Nazreen, who had suffered severe burns on her right hand, was admitted to LNJP Hospital and was later discharged after preliminary medical treatment. She was in the verandah when the cylinder exploded. "She tried to rescue her family but failed as the fire went out of control. Her husband, daughter and sister died in front of her eyes while she kept screaming standing outside the room," said Sayeed Mirza, an eyewitness who tried to help the family.

"He (Shahbuddin) was the only source of income for the family. He had come to Delhi to work as a carpenter and was making good money," said Allaudin.